Freeze-dried dog foods are a convenient alternative to raw frozen dog foods. Ingredients are cold processed at extremely low temperatures of -60 to -85 degrees. This removes moisture but doesn’t change the original nutritional content as heat is not applied. freeze-dried dog foods offer health benefits, easy storage, and varied flavors that even picky eaters can enjoy.
Here are our Top 10 Freeze-Dried Dog Foods for 2023. It’s worth noting that the first 5 brands all score 10/10 for ingredient quality and safety. And 4 of the 10 brands on our list don’t contain any added vitamins or minerals.
REVIEW CRITERIA
Each food in this list has been evaluated based on the ingredient quality and ingredient safety by DogFoodReviews.com. The amount of protein, fat and other nutrients is important. But at the end of the day, your dog’s food needs to be safe to eat (and many foods contain ingredients that are quite unsafe), with high quality ingredients. Each food score below is an average of the ingredient quality and the ingredient safety.
Here are some of the criteria we look for in raw foods:
DOG FOOD INGREDIENT QUALITY
- Does the food contain too much carbohydrate?
- Are plant sources used to boost protein content?
- Does it contain unnamed animal protein?
- Are there excessive vitamins and minerals added?
- Are free amino acids added to balance poor quality proteins?
- Does it contain processed or seed oils?
DOG FOOD INGREDIENT SAFETY
- How much processing is involved in making the food?
- Does the food contain rice?
- Does the food contain known genetically modified foods?
- Does the food contain foods known to be high in pesticides?
- Does the food contain natural flavor?
Each food is objectively evaluated using these criteria. You can view the full Evaluation Criteria used to review the dog foods.
This is NOT a paid list and there are no affiliate links. We’ve partnered with DogFoodReviews.com to make sure dog owners have unbiased, objective criteria to help them choose the best freeze-dried dog food on the market.
Now that you know how we evaluate the foods, let’s find the best freeze-dried dog foods for 2023.
#1 Smallbatch Freeze-Dried
Score: 10/10
Smallbatch Freeze-Dried Duckbatch Recipe: 88% Humanely raised and harvested duck,10% organic produce, 2% natural supplements, duck including bones, duck hearts, duck gizzards, duck livers, organic butternut squash, organic celery, organic bok choy, organic cauliflower, organic green beans, organic dandelion greens, salmon oil, organic apple cider vinegar, mixed tocopherols, organic cilantro, organic kelp*, organic bee pollen, organic bilberry, organic wheat grass, organic garlic, organic oregano, organic thyme, vitamin e supplement
Once again Smallbatch is at the top of our list (it ‘s also #1 on our list of Top 10 Raw Dog Foods). Smallbatch Freeze-Dried dog food has 6 recipes that score 10/10 for ingredient quality and safety and is considered a low risk dog food.
These freeze-dried recipes are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and fat, and all produce is certified organic. This line has average carbohydrate of less than 2% as calculated, with protein averaging 51%. The recipes all have a lower percentage of fat than protein, which is desirable in a freeze-dried food.
The Smallbatch freeze-dried line has 6 meat-based formulas (including bone and organ meats) combined with 10% organic produce. Organic produce minimizes any risk of pesticides and Smallbatch doesn’t use GMO ingredients.
freeze-dried foods like these are minimally processed without heat, so they don’t lose nutrients during processing. The nutrients come from whole foods and there are no added vitamins or minerals, suggesting better quality ingredients.
Smallbatch does source quality ingredients, but the label uses unsubstantiated descriptions like “humanely raised and harvested” to describe their animal protein sources. These are purely marketing terms that have no legal meaning under pet food regulatory standards. Third party certifications are available to verify such claims.
The products in this line contain added salmon oil but the company doesn’t state whether it’s from farmed or wild-caught salmon. Wild-caught fish is more nutritious than farmed and has a better fatty acid balance. The food does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.
Smallbatch dog food is manufactured in third party facilities. A few years ago this resulted in the company’s raw foods being high pressure pasteurized without their knowledge. The situation has now been rectified and Smallbatch foods are no longer subjected to HPP. The company states they closely monitor all production, and they have a goal of acquiring their own freeze-drying equipment.
Smallbatch is a family-owned company founded in 2005 in San Francisco. The company has grown in size but still claims to maintain its original principles of using humanely-raised meats and organic veggies.
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#2 Steve’s Real Food Freeze-Dried Beef Diet
Score: 10/10
Steve’s Real Food freeze-dried Beef Diet Recipe: Ground beef, beef heart, beef liver, beef kidney, broccoli, ground beef bone, carrots, apples, romaine lettuce, goat’s milk, coconut oil, sesame seeds, salmon oil, flaxseed, dried kelp, taurine, New Zealand green lipped mussel, inulin, ground eggshell
Steve’s Real Food freeze-dried also scores 10/10 but average protein content is a bit lower than the top rated brand, and the use of coconut oil results in this #2 position on the list.
Steve’s Real Food freeze-dried dog food has 6 recipes that score 10/10 for ingredient quality and safety, and is considered a low risk dog food.
This line is low in carbohydrates, averaging less than 2% as calculated, with protein averaging 48%. The foods all have a lower percentage of fat than protein, which is desirable in a freeze-dried food.
Steve’s Real Food freeze-dried has 6 raw meat-based formulas (including bone and organ meats) combined with produce and natural supplements. The foods all have a lower percentage of fat than protein, which is desirable in a freeze-dried raw food.
As these are freeze-dried recipes, processing is minimal so nutrients are preserved, and there are no added vitamins or minerals. This indicates higher quality ingredients because the nutrients come from whole foods.
The company provides the names and descriptions of all of its suppliers on the website, and there’s a strong focus on sustainable sourcing. Some, but not all, of the produce is organic so there’s lower risk of pesticide residues. Beef is grass fed and grass finished, and poultry is free range. The company states their ingredients are GMO-free but they haven’t been certified.
It’s not clear whether salmon oil is wild-caught. Wild caught fish is more nutritious and has a better fatty acid balance than farmed fish. The food does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.
The foods have added coconut oil, another concern because coconut oil has been shown to cause undesirable changes in the gut lining, potentially harming gut health.
Steve’s Real Food does use High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) as a kill step. This doesn’t affect their product score, but is definitely worth noting, and it’s not clear whether this includes the freeze-dried foods. The company website provides results of lab testing done on their products after HPP, showing minimal changes in nutritional values.
Steve’s Real Food is a family-owned and operated business, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Manufacturing is done at a dedicated facility in Aumsville, Oregon.
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#3 Open Farm Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food
Score: 10/10
Surf & Turf freeze-dried Raw Dog Food Recipe: Humanely raised beef, beef hearts, wild pacific salmon, beef kidneys, beef livers, ground beef bone, organic carrots, organic squash, organic blueberries, organic sunflower seeds, montmorillonite clay, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic kale, organic pumpkin seeds, chicory root, dried kelp, non-GMO coconut oil, organic apple cider vinegar, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin e supplement, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, choline zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, selenium yeast, turmeric, cinnamon, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative), fenugreek seeds, sea salt
Open Farm’s freeze-dried Raw Dog Food scores 10/10 but average protein content is a bit lower than the top rated brands, average carbohydrates are higher, and there are some added vitamins and minerals, resulting in this #3 position on the list. Its recipes contain organic produce so it’s higher than other brands that use conventionally farmed produce.
Open Farm freeze-dried Raw Dog Food has 6 recipes that score 10/10 for ingredient quality and safety. This line is considered a low risk dog food.
The food contains an average of 9% carbohydrates as calculated, which come from the produce ingredients, including a couple of starchy vegetables like carrots and squash. The average protein for these recipes is 42%. The foods all have a somewhat lower percentage of fat than protein, which is desirable in a freeze-dried food.
There are 4 recipes (Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Lamb) that have a few added vitamins and minerals not enough to lose any ingredient quality points. It’s surprising to see these additions in a freeze-dried raw food that doesn’t use heat in processing and should maintain nutrients. Also, the produce is all organic, suggesting better quality. Vitamins from whole food sources are preferred because they include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable.
The company describes meats as humanely raised and animal welfare certified. The whole fish ingredients are wild-caught, which is more nutritious than farmed fish. The beef is pasture raised, grass-fed and grass-finished, also making it more nutritious. This attention to quality standards is commendable. However, these are marketing terms that have no legal meaning under pet food regulatory standards.
The foods have added coconut oil, which is a concern because coconut oil has been shown to cause undesirable changes in the gut lining, potentially harming gut health.
Also, there’s salmon oil in several of the recipes and this isn’t specified as wild-caught, so it’s likely from farmed fish, which is less nutritious than wild-caught. The food does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.
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#4 Bixbi Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Score: 10/10
Rawbble® Freeze-Dried Dog Food – Lamb Recipe: Lamb, lamb liver, lamb kidney, lamb bone, pumpkin, salmon oil, coconut oil, selenium yeast, vitamin E supplement, manganese proteinate, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, d-calcium pantothenate, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), rosemary extract.
Bixbi’s Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food scores well at 10/10, but it has some added vitamins and minerals, along with coconut oil, that brands higher on this list do not.
With an average score of 10, Bixbi’s Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food is considered a low risk food. This line of 7 recipes averages less than 1% carbohydrate as calculated. Average protein is calculated at 50%, which makes this a typical high protein freeze-dried food.
Bixbi’s Rawbble Freeze-Dried is also low in starch as you’d expect. As noted, these recipes contain some added vitamins and minerals, which is surprising as freeze-dried raw food don’t typically lose nutrients during processing. Whole food nutrition is desirable, but there are not enough added vitamins or minerals to trigger a loss of points. However it does suggest that ingredients may be lower quality.
These recipes don’t contain known high pesticide or GMO ingredients so doesn’t lose ingredient quality points, although the ingredients aren’t organic which is always preferable.
There are some cautions that apply to several other brands on this list as well. Bixbi doesn’t not state the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in their foods. While this is true of most foods, it’s unfortunate since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory limit of 30:1. The recipes also contain fish or salmon oil, but it’s not stated whether the fish is wild caught or farmed. And some of these recipes contain coconut oil, which research shows may cause undesirable changes in gut health.
Bixbi was founded as a supplement company and appears to be in Boulder, Colorado (there is only a PO Box listed on the website). It’s not clear from the website whether Bixbi manufactures their own food or whether it’s made by a third party manufacturer.
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#5 Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs
Score: 10/10
Rabbit Mini Nibs Freeze-Dried Grain Free Dog Food Recipe: Rabbit, rabbit liver, rabbit heart, rabbit kidney, rabbit lung, herring oil, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, manganese amino acid complex
Also scoring 10/10, Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs has a few added minerals, along with higher carbohydrate content to come in at this position on the list.
With a score of 10/10, Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Grain Free is considered a low risk dog food. These recipes contain average protein of 46%, and average carbohydrate of 9% as calculated.
These recipes contain no added grains, produce or starchy ingredients, so any carbs in the food come from the meat itself. The foods are meat-only formulas containing whole meat (including bone) and organs. Without added produce, there are no safety concerns about high pesticide or GMO ingredients. However, a few minerals have been added, but not enough to lose points.
There are no points deducted for minimal processing, ingredient quality or safety. Freeze-dried raw foods maintain ingredient quality during processing and don’t suffer nutrient loss from freeze-drying.
Vital Essentials doesn’t not state the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in their foods. While this is true of most foods, it’s unfortunate since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory limit of 30:1. The foods also contain herring oil or salmon, but it’s not stated whether the fish is wild caught or farmed.
Vital Essentials Dog Foods are made at their own facilities in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Vital Essentials brand was launched in 2009. The family-owned parent company, Carnivore Meat Company, was established in 2012. The company states they are “… proud to source U.S.A. farm-raised, pasture-fed, free-run, and wild-caught ingredients” but it’s not clear if every animal protein ingredient meets these descriptions.
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#6 Halo Freeze-Dried
Score: 9.9
Feed Me Whitefish Freeze-Dried Raw Superfood Recipe: Whitefish, herring oil (source of omega-3), mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate
With a score of 9.9/10, Halo Freeze-Dried is considered a low risk food. There are 4 freeze-dried recipes that average 49% protein and and low average carbohydrate at 5.8%, as calculated.
The Turkey recipe loses a point for high carb content of 15%, unusual in a freeze-dried raw food.
The recipes are meat-based and don’t contain any produce. This could be the reason for adding 4 minerals and one vitamin (vitamin C) in each. The food is complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards. Freeze-drying doesn’t use heat so the nutrients are preserved. These foods don’t lose any points for light processing.
Halo doesn’t state whether fish ingredients (herring oil, whitefish) are wild-caught or farmed. Wild-caught fish is preferable as it’s more nutritious and has better fatty acid balance. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids isn’t provided. This is a concern because AAFCO allows a very inflammatory level of 30:1.
Halo Dog Food was founded in the US in 1986, and sold 20 years later. Since 2019, it’s been owned by Better Choice Company Inc, an animal wellness company with a board of directors and shareholders. The company headquarters are in Tampa, Fla. This line of freeze-dried dog foods was formerly known as Trudog. In July 2022, it was integrated into the Halo product lines owned by Better Choice Company Inc.
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#7 The Simple Food Project
Score: 9.5/10
Chicken & Turkey Recipe Dog Food recipe: Chicken, turkey, chicken hearts, flaxseed, sweet potato, chicken liver, organic carrots, wild-caught whole ground krill, ground pumpkin seeds, organic blueberries, organic spinach, organic cinnamon, sea salt, dried kelp, dried yeast, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative).
The Simple Food Project has 3 recipes that score 9.5/10 for ingredient quality and safety. This line is considered a low risk dog food. Recipes contain average protein of 38% and average carbohydrate of 18%, as calculated.
The carbohydrate level is considered high for freeze-dried dog food but that’s a result of the high carbs in the Duck and Trout recipe at 27%, as calculated. This is probably due to lentils in the recipe. Lentils are also a high pesticide crop that costs another point when not organic. The Simple Food Project has lower protein than most of the other brands on this list.
The other 2 recipes score 10/10 for ingredient quality and safety which is good to see in a premium, freeze-dried dog food. They have 13% average carbohydrate as calculated, which likely come from the produce, including a couple of starchy vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes.
The produce in all recipes is organic, suggesting better quality. As these are freeze-dried recipes, processing is minimal so nutrients are preserved and there are no added vitamins or minerals. This indicates higher quality ingredients because the nutrients come from whole foods.
The company also specifies that it uses wild-caught trout, salmon and krill, which is more nutritious than farmed fish and has a better fatty acid balance.
The Simple Food Project is one of the few companies to note the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in its recipes. The Duck and Trout recipe and Chicken and Turkey recipe have a ratio of 1:1, and the Beef and salmon has a ratio of 2:1. This is good to know since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.
The Simple Food Project was designed under traditional Chinese principles of warming, neutral and cooling foods by holistic veterinarian and founder Chris Bessent, DVM. The food is manufactured in the company’s own facility in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Recipes are made in small batches using USA-sourced ingredients.
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#8 Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets
Score: 9.3/10
Canine Freeze-Dried Nuggets Venison Recipe: Venison, venison hearts, ground venison bones, venison livers, organic kale, organic squash, organic celery, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic blueberries, organic cranberries, organic cilantro, organic ginger, organic apple cider vinegar, montmorillonite clay, fish oil, organic rosemary extract, organic quinoa, organic coconut oil, organic ground alfalfa, vitamin e supplement, dried organic kelp, zinc sulfate
Primal’s lower placement on this list is due to higher carbohydrates in several foods, higher fat in one recipe and the use of fish oil which is an unnamed protein source. Its recipes contain organic produce which illustrates the company’s attention to ingredient quality.
With a score of 9.3/10, Primal Canine Freeze-Dried Nuggets dog food is considered a low risk dog food. There are 8 recipes with an average of 45% protein and average carbohydrates of 12% as calculated.
The Duck, Lamb and Venison recipes have higher carbohydrates that range from 15% to 18%. This is higher than expected in a freeze-dried dog food. The carbohydrates come primarily from organic produce, plus some quinoa, a higher protein grain. These are lower carbs than kibble but on the high side for freeze-dried.
The Beef recipe loses a point for having fat that’s higher than protein. It’s preferable for raw and freeze-dried foods to have lower fat than protein. Several recipes lost points for using unnamed fish oil. This indicates lower quality sources as the type of fish should be named. The fish oil isn’t described as wild caught, and neither is the cod liver oil in some recipes.
All 8 recipes scored 10/10 for ingredient safety. Besides minimal processing, the high score is due to using certified organic produce which removes the risk of pesticide residues or GMO foods. The lack of added vitamins and minerals indicates high quality ingredients that don’t need added nutrients to meet AAFCO standards. Vitamin E is added as a preservative.
The recipes all contain coconut oil, which doesn’t cost points, but research shows it may be harmful to gut health.
The website does state that the sardines are wild-caught. Wild caught fish are more nutritious with a healthier fatty acid balance.
Primal doesn’t provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. They are certainly not the only brand omitting this information, but it’s our hope that more brands will pay more attention to these fats since omega-6 fats are inflammatory and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.
Primal was founded in 2001. The company produces raw frozen and freeze-dried foods and treats for dogs and cats. All of their frozen and freeze-dried foods and some treats are manufactured in their state-of-the-art facility in Fairfield, CA. They use third-party manufacturers to produce their goat milk, bone broth and treats.
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#9 Stewart
Score: 9.2/10
Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe: Chicken, ground chicken bone, chicken liver, chicken gizzard, cantaloupe, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, egg, ground flaxseed, inulin, salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, blueberry, cranberry, dried kelp, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, whole ginger, whole parsley, whole garlic, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin e supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, mixed tocopherols (as preservative), vitamin D supplement.
Stewart has this placement on the list due to using ingredients with known high pesticide/herbicide residues, plus added minerals in all of its recipes.
With a score of 9.2, Stewart Raw Naturals is a line of freeze-dried food that’s considered a low risk dog food. Carbohydrate content in these foods is under 10%, as calculated, and average protein is 44%.
Stewart’s freeze-dried foods are minimally processed so nutrients are retained. However, minerals have been added to each recipe. While only a few were added, when 5 or more minerals are added, it can indicate a lower quality food that lacks naturally occurring minerals from whole food sources. On the plus side, all vitamins and amino acids are obtained from the ingredients in the food.
Stewart misses obtaining a perfect safety score for including apples in several recipes, a crop that is known for high pesticide/herbicide residues.
It’s noted on the company website that fish in the recipes is wild-caught. Wild-caught fish is more nutritious than farmed fish and contains a better balance of healthy fatty acids. That said, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids isn’t listed. It’s important to know since omega-6 fats are inflammatory and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.
The company explains that its ingredients are chopped and individually quick-frozen at -30 degrees to preserve nutritional value, then the ingredients are freeze-dried. However, the company uses high-pressure pasteurization (HPP) as a kill step in its processing. HPP doesn’t affect the score but is worth noting.
Stewart is based in Dayton, Ohio, where the company has been producing dog food for 45 years. Stewart is a brand that falls under the Miracle Pet umbrella of pet products, which produces and distributes its own foods.
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#10 Orijen
Score: 9.2/10
Orijen Freeze-Dried Tundra Recipe: Venison, duck (ground with bone), flounder, lamb meat, duck liver, herring, lamb liver, wild boar liver, wild boar, goat meat, pea fiber, whole pumpkin, collard greens, carrots, apples, wild boar bone, lamb kidney, lamb tripe, wild boar heart, goat liver, goat tripe, goat kidney, duck heart, dried help, zinc proteinate, potassium chloride, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin E supplement, mixed tocopherols (preservative)
Orijen Freeze-Dried has lower average protein, high pesticide ingredients and added minerals that have resulted in this placement on the list.
With an average score of 9.2, Orijen’s Freeze-Dried dog food lineup is considered a low risk dog food. There are 3 recipes with an average of 38% protein and 10% average carbohydrate, as calculated, which is desirable for freeze-dried dog food. It should also be pointed out that for a freeze-dried food, Orijen has lower average protein than most of the other brands on this list, although it doesn’t cost any ingredient quality points.
Freeze-dried foods are minimally processed so most of the enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients should be left intact. However, these recipes have a few added minerals which isn’t what you expect in a freeze-dried food, so the recipes lost ingredient quality points. On the plus side, all vitamins and amino acids are obtained from the ingredients.
With respect to ingredient safety, these recipes lose points due to ingredients known for high pesticide residues, incuding collard greens, apples and peas.
Herring and flounder are used in these recipes but Orijen doesn’t state whether its fish ingredients are wild-caught or farmed. Wild-caught fish is preferable as it’s more nutritious and has better fatty acid balance.
Orijen doesn’t provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. They are certainly not the only brand omitting this information, but it’s our hope that more brands will pay more attention to these fats since omega-6 fats are inflammatory and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.
Orijen is manufactured by the Canadian company Champion Petfoods. Founded in 1985, Champion also manufactures ACANA pet foods. Champion manufactures their US food in Auburn, Kentucky, while the Canadian foods are manufactured in Alberta.
Note: On November 1st 2022, global giant Mars Petcare announced an agreement to acquire Champion Petfoods. With the pending acquisition there could be changes in the recipes and ingredient standards of these foods.
